The temporary switch was made because Saturday polling did not fit with the church’s schedule, Scott Marshall,Beaufort County elections director, said.

All other Bluffton and Bluffton Township precincts, including those in Sun City in Beaufort County, will vote at their usual polling locations.

For more information call the registration and elections offices in Bluffton at 255-6940 or in Beaufort at 255-6900, or go online to www.bcgov.net/vote

'MAXIMUM TURNOUT' SOUGHT; ALL VOTERS WELCOMED

Every Bluffton voter registered as of Dec. 21 can have a say Saturday in picking the Republican Party’s nominee for president.

“Maximum voter turnout is encouraged,” according to the Beaufort County Board of Elections and Registration. “The Presidential Primary is open to all registered South Carolina voters.”

All precinct polling places will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

South Carolina’s “open” primary system means any eligible registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, can participate in the state’s first-in-the South primary on the road to the Republican nominating convention.

By state law, voter eligibility includes registering at least 30 days before an election.

“Voters are reminded that there is no registration by party in South Carolina, and that there are no other party presidential preference primaries scheduled for this presidential election cycle. There is no requirement to be affiliated with the Republican Party to participate in this primary,” says the board’s website at bcgov.net/vote.

DEMOCRATIC RUB

However, Democrats planning to attend precinct reorganization meetings might think twice before voting Saturday, since they’ll be asked to sign statements they didn’t vote in the Republican primary.

With Democratic President Barack Obama’s bid for re-election on Nov. 6 unopposed in his party, voters have no need to choose between party primaries at the polls like in January 2008 when they were a week apart.

But the reorganization meetings, set for Jan. 28 in Beaufort County, will double for the Democratic Party’s presidential primary and start the national convention delegate selection process, according to the party website at scdp.org.

“By attending the precinct reorganization meetings, you are voting for President Barack Obama since he is the only candidate on our ballot. Also, anyone who attends the meetings will be signing a statement that they did not take part in the Republican Presidential Primary,” the S.C. Democratic Party website says.

GOP BALLOT INCLUDES DROPOUTS

The Republican ballot lists nine candidates, in alphabetical order, including four who have dropped out since filing.

The five active candidates, in alphabetical order, are Newt Gingrich, former U.S. House Speaker and Georgia congressman; Ron Paul, U.S. representative from Texas; Rick Perry, Texas governor; Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor; and Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania senator.

The five ghost candidates are Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out of the race on Wednesday; former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who ended his campaign on Monday; Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann; businessman Herman Cain and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson. In late December, Johnson left the Republican Party and joined the Libertarian Party.

Tuesday was the deadline for election officials to receive requests for absentee ballot applications by mail.

OTHER TIDBITS

Beaufort County’s elections website also says:

• To be able to vote the polls, voters are required to show one of three items: A voter registration card, a driver’s license or an ID card issued by the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. The U.S. Department of Justice rejected South Carolina’s new voter photo identification law, so identification requirements remain unchanged.

• Write-in votes are not allowed in political party primaries or for president and vice-president.

• No candidates for other offices are on the ballot.

• The State Election Commission will post county-by-county returns after polls close Saturday on its website at www.scvotes.org

ONLINE REGISTRATION CHECK

Voters may check their registration status online by going to www.bcgov.net/vote, scrolling to the bottom of the web page clicking on the “Vote” button.